Let’s machine gun (rat, tat, tat) through some topics today, because there’s a lot going on that impacts manufactured housing pros and our current and prospective customers.
1) We’ll begin with the Democrats, and note that Senator Bernie Sanders refuses to lay down, though Hillary at this point is only a few dozen delegates shy of the number needed to clinch their nomination. Where it not for the super-delegate system, their race would be much tighter – but that’s an issue for Democrats and party insiders to wrestle with. What’s clear is that the enthusiasm seems to be with those who feel the Bern.
Jane Sanders, Bernie’s wife, has hinted she wishes the FBI would hasten their decision about Mrs. Clinton. DC insiders tell the Masthead that what seems increasingly likely is that the FBI will turn over their evidence to the DOJ, where Loretta Lynch will do as her president quietly asks, and unceremoniously kill any chance for an indictment of Secretary Clinton on the criminal offense of allegedly mishandling classified material. Sources suggest if DOJ won’t indict, it could then result in some at the FBI who are angry that Clinton is not being prosecuted to leak to the press information damaging to Mrs. Clinton’s campaign.
To rephrase; what looked like a more unified Democratic party could in fact have greater fractures than what the Republicans, who are rapidly coalescing around their presumptive nominee, Donald Trump. Trump is surging in the national polls, now a few points ahead of Clinton.
Who is Best for Manufactured Housing?
2) Let’s step back from that thumbnail primary analysis and ask a fundamental question. Which party this fall would be better for Manufactured Housing and our industry’s current and potential customers?
MH Associations – and certainly MH professionals – often get engaged in state or federal races – for example – for the Congress and the Senate. Why aren’t we hearing more about the race for the presidency?
We’ve seen and heard very little formally out of the DC or Arlington based national MH associations on this presidential candidate topic, although there are quiet conversations that have been and continue to take place on who would be best for MH in the White House.
Let’s keep it super-simple. Bernie and Hillary are generally both for:
- higher taxes
- strengthening Dodd-Frank
- more regulations
- keeping or growing ObamaCare into a single-payer health care system
among a host of other issues that impact jobs and businesses.
The presumptive Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump,
- announced last week that he is for dismantling most of Dodd-Frank
- favors morphing ObamaCare into something more free-market driven, like Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and increased interstate competition between private insurance companies
- lowering taxes
- decreasing regulatory burdens on businesses
- and a host of other measures he asserts will protect the border, improve trade deals, grow American jobs, boost lower and middle class income and reduce the drain on federal budgets
For accuracy and balance, we must note that the Libertarian Party is planning on making the biggest splash they can in this election cycle. Much will depend on their ability to get on national presidential/vice presidential debates. While there are many other so-called third parties out there, none at this time seem to have the requite tools, treasure and talent to mount a serious national effort.
Stay tuned as we continue to monitor the national political scene, and its impact on MH. Because as a well-connected source told us, what happens in the race for the Oval Office, along with control of the House and Senate, will clearly influence every current effort in Washington to deal with regulatory issues that impact the manufactured housing industry, MH home owners, along with our increasing numbers of new home customers.
A new HUD Issue that may impact Manufactured Housing?
A new Obama Administration ruling outlined and a legislative response described in the story linked here concerns me. Could this issue negatively impact manufactured housing’s preemption?
Keep in mind that in a state like Texas, where TDHCA’s Joe Garcia gives a very positive interpretation to the power of the MHIA 2000s preemption over local zoning matters, this issue could help or harm local placements and thus sales in many markets.
We have one legal source that tells us that, no, this latest regulatory issue linked above won’t change a thing for HUD Code manufactured homes.
I’m not an attorney, but recalling how HERA 2008 surprised us with SAFE, I’m not yet convinced. We’ll stay on this, watch for updates. Meanwhile, you might ask attorneys you or your association know: will this HUD ruling and proposed Senate fix help, harm or have no impact on HUD Code MH preemption?
Duty To Serve Manufactured Housing by GSEs Fannie and Freddie revisited
Credibility on a topic – any topic – requires an openness to a variety of perspectives. Credibility always requires an openness to new insights and new information. If a statement, view or opinion is inaccurate, then credibility demands a willingness to correct the record.
There are some topics that are fairly black and white. Others – like the one noted on preemption – may be more complex or nuanced. In this case, we are considering the issue of the Duty To Serve (DTS) by the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
There are two pending OpEds by industry pros on financing/Duty to Serve that are awaiting revisions by their respective authors.
Depending on when they come in, those may end up on Industry Voices or possibly as a Featured Article for our rapidly approaching June issue. Having reviewed these drafts, one in particular will have interesting insights on the finance/DTS issue.
Plus, and this ought to be its own headline: *** there is a reliable source that claims that one of the GSEs are already making some home only/personal property/chattel loans *** in some manufactured home land lease communities.
We will keep you posted on all those as they develop.
Correcting the Record
MHProNews and MHLivingNews strives to be pro-Industry and yet accurate all at the same time. When we produced the latest version of our popular tornado/hurricanes/windstorm video, we strive for accuracy while keeping a focus that debunks long held beliefs about manufactured homes as tornado magnets.
From time to time, we get a message or call from a reader that effectively says, this or that article needs a correction. Our response is simple. We’re always happy to correct the record, and for accuracy – please supply the facts, figures and source(s) that supports your statement.
We also encourage well reasoned letters to the editor – OpEds – and these can take positions that agree, disagree or have an entirely new look at topics that your Masthead editor or others in MH present.
Pro-industry trade journalism encourages a candid look at the issues that can help or harm our great industry. Thousands in MH today have never known now defunct publications such as the MHMerchandiser Magazine. To you and thousands of others, here and at MHLivingNews.com are the places where you get fair and balanced views we hope will advance MH for consumers and professionals. ##
By L. A. “Tony” Kovach,
Office 863-213-4090.
Connect on LinkedIn –
https://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
Publisher – MHLivingNews.com
and MHProNews.com
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